playing with my bread

[Mama Mangia]

We love homemade breads in this house - regardless of the weather, heat and humidity - bread is usually in the oven.

Today I played with my bread - French bread today

I slit my loaves lengthwise and stuffed with a filling of chopped pepperoni and diced mozzarella that I seasoned with my Tuscan spice blend I make and finely minced garlic. Pinched and rolled to seal; braided together (after shaping); allow second rise - bake.

Of course - it's a sauce day here and that is on as well - happy soppin'!!

[The Ironic Chef]

Mama, having the sauce cooking, everyone around it with a hunk of bread waiting to sop some sauce before it's even off the stove is a tradition here.
I like the filling you have for your stuffed bread. I make something I call a Stromboli that I also fill with the pepperoni, cheese and Italian spices. I stretch mine out into a rectangular shape, top and the roll jello roll style.
Strange coincidence, my daughter had just asked me yesterday to make some Stromboli soon.

[Mama Mangia]

IC - the only way to taste sauce is with a hunk of bread!

I'm happy with a pot of homemade sauce and a loaf of homemade bread!

I make stomboli - we love it and of course - I dip it in sauce - cripe I'd dip anything in sauce!

I filled my french bread "logs" and braided them together - just for the fun of it.

Hey - happy soppin'!

[cookie]

Mama, to Funny "playing with my bread". I never did to much with bread. I Love bread and all kinds but just never got into making it. I think once you get into making bread it's probably addictive. There seems to be a trick to making Good bread, that's what I think anyway or it's very involved. I guess I'm scared to attempt it. I just think that if I made Home-made Bread it would be one sticky mess! I would like to make focaccia bread one of these days. Cookie

[KYHeirloomer]

Cookie, you're right: bread making can become addictive. But what a great passion.

Let me advise you to get a copy of Peter Reinhart's The Bread Bakers Apprentice. He really teaches you what bread is all about. You probably can find it in the library.

Until I read it I just floundered around. I'd follow recipes blindly, not having a clue what was going on with this magical conversion of flour, salt, yeast and water into a loaf of bread. Now I have all sorts of confidence in my bread making, and am even maintaining a sour dough starter---something I wouldn't have even considered even two years ago.

As to focaccia, it's not a bread you want to start with. Because it's a high hydration bread, and for other reasons, it's the sort of thing you want to grow into. But once you do, you'll never buy a focaccia again.

[The Ironic Chef]

Cookie, I used to just make the standard home made white bread. It was OK but nothing spectacular.
About 10 years ago I recieved a gift of a book by a baker from my old stomping grounds. The Book was called "Bread Alone" The authors name was Dan Leader.

Learning the history behind bread, how wars were won just because the troops were fed fresh home made bread to build their spirits, the milling process of grains for breads and the importance of quality flours. I found this book full of interesting history and it was so much more than just a book on baking bread.

I learned the scientific aspects of building sour doughs and lavains. I learned which flours produce the amounts of gluten to get the right textures with kneading. The list just goes on and on.

I was very happy to find that now, The Author of the book, the Baker from the Catskills, has finally put up a website. It even has a few of the recipes. I know it has been a work in progress for several years now and it is finally up and running.
Bread Alone

[Mama Mangia]

Mama, to Funny "playing with my bread". I never did to much with bread. I Love bread and all kinds but just never got into making it. I think once you get into making bread it's probably addictive. There seems to be a trick to making Good bread, that's what I think anyway or it's very involved. I guess I'm scared to attempt it. I just think that if I made Home-made Bread it would be one sticky mess! I would like to make focaccia bread one of these days. Cookie

Yes it is addictive - and then you start creating everything you can think of.
With a bit of practice you will become a pro. I can't imagine NOT having homemade breads! There is not a bakery or a company that can compare!

[cookie]

Thanks everyone , for all the information about bread,that's a Good idea read about it, (I need to re-new my library card anyway). I will try a easy recipe for bread-making. Thanks again, Cookie

[KYHeirloomer]

Another good call, IC.

Dan Leader is one of the leading voices in the artisan bread movement. I've read several of his books (and we've reviewed at least one of them at cheftalk.com).

My sourdough mother actually came right out of Bread Alone.

[Mama Mangia]

Another "thing" I like to do with my homemade bread - add my Tuscan seasoning to the dough - after the first rise, shape into a rectangle and place a filling of drained, chopped artichoke hearts, sliced olives, diced sun-dried tomatoes OR roasted red peppers and a blend of Italian cheese that I have on hand down the center - cut striips about an inch wide on each side (from edge to "almost" to the filling and overlap the ends into the center - rise the second time and bake.

Slice to serve and dip in marinara or a good tomatoe-based sauce.

mmmmmm